Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had laid the foundation stone of the museum on July 9, 2013. It is considered his pet project, among other plans for the state.

The project was to originally open on the Bihar Diwas, March 22, this year. With elections in the offing, the JD(U)-led government is apparently in a rush to wrap up prime projects before the model code of conduct kicks in.

While many are happy about development work being done in fast-paced manner, many others have also took to social mediato criticise the move of opening projects without properly finishing them.

"Some of the work at the museum could not be completed by July 30, but now work is in full swing and it has been decided that the museum will open on August 7. But, only three of its portions would be opened, as work on the rest is still going on," said a senior official associated with the project.

The world-class museum, billed as one of the best modern museums in the country, is coming up in the nearly 13 acres area off Bailey Road here, for which six colonial-era bungalows (no 2 through no 7) were dismantled.

"The three sections that would be opened are – children's section, main entrance area and orientation theatre. The shamianas are being put up in its campus for the inauguration day," the official said.

"The museum would house rare statues and sculptors available at the (old) Patna Museum and those around the capital and would be inaugurated on Bihar Divas (March 22), 2015," Kumar had said, while laying its foundation stone.